ACR contents can be disclosed with safeguards: CIC

The Central Information Commission has ruled that information contained in the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) can be revealed with certain safeguards. Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah held that though disclosure of ACRs is exempted under the provisions of RTI Act, information relating to categorisation in terms of Departmental Promotion Committee proceedings can be disclosed .

Appellant Sharda Meshram had sought information about minutes of the DPC proceedings and categorisation of the ACRs from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to protect her service prospects in the light of her having been superceded in seniority. The DoPT refused to provide the information on the grounds that contents of the ACR are exempted from disclosure. The panel held that as far as the proceedings of the DPCs were concerned, disclosure will bring in fairness and neutrality and will make the system more accountable.

Regarding the ACRs, the panel held that though the disclosure of ACRs was exempted under section 8(2) of the RTI Act, the appellant in present case had only asked for information limited to categorisation in terms of DPC proceedings. The only conceivable exemption under the provisions could be the fiduciary relationship of the department with the members of the DPC or invasion of privacy of the persons whose names were considered by the DPC.